What clampdown on Xemxija seafront?

Reading the article Mepa Clamps Down On Illegal Structures (June 20) leads one to conclude that some serious work was carried out in line with Jason Azzopardi's sterling work in giving back the beaches and the seashore to the people (all the people).

I had a look at the Xemxija site in question and nothing is further from the truth. No concrete slabs were removed and the "structures" taken off were metal pipes that were in themselves temporary. All concrete slabs were left intact and the part shown in the photograph leads nowhere and was restricting nobody's passage.

Two years ago some concrete slabs were removed but were soon back in place the following summer, smoother, uglier and larger than ever. Are we to understand that these have now become legal? One wonders if the photo was taken by a photographer from the newspaper or sent to the newspaper by Mepa or some ministry.

To my mind, the article was only a PR spin. If this work took two days as reported (probably two half-days, that is, 30 minutes total), then whoever ordered it was selective because the concrete platforms, slabs, increase every year and none of the "structures" that really restrict passage has been touched.

I bet that within a month or so the structures shall be up again and all external parlours, dining areas, television areas, sleeping, parking areas etc shall be back again, restricting not only free passage but also hogging the beach for its entire length. Any takers?